Lost Memories
by PixieSpriteify
Summary: After a brutal attack, Maura wakes up with no memories of the last few years. Jane struggles to come to terms with her friend not knowing who she is, and they both must work together to get through it. May turn into a series if received well. Enjoy :)
1. Chapter 1

"Maura?" She woke to the sound of somebody shouting nearby. She opened her eyes, her vision hazy and blurry. "Maura!" Running a hand through her hair, she rested her fingers on her forehead as the bright light that was seeping through the haze was beginning to hurt. Closing her eyes briefly, she shook her head, somewhat aware of people shouting from far away and footsteps approaching.

"Miss Isles?" said another voice on her left, very different to the one she had woken to. Opening her eyes, she managed to focus on the speaker – a woman in a white coat. A doctor, she reasoned. "Can you put your head back for a moment?" Things were becoming more focused as she obeyed, still trying to work out where she was. Well, a hospital, given the fact there was a doctor. Said doctor took her head gently in her hands and tilted it back. Maura winced slightly as suddenly a bright white light was shone directly into her eyes.

"Hey, careful!" said the first voice, rather indignantly.

"It's just procedure, Detective," the doctor replied. Her mind was still rather fuzzy as the light was shut off and she closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead against the pain. "Stay with her for a moment, I'll be right back." She heard footsteps fading by the second.

"Well, it's not like I've been sitting around on my ass for the last few weeks for nothing!" the Detective shouted after the doctor, and the door closed with a sharp snap. She opened her eyes again, her vision thankfully clear now as she looked around. She was in a small but well-furnished room. She guessed it was a private clinic, judging by the amount of money that had obviously been spent on creating a more comfortable environment.

"Are you alright, Maura?" asked the voice again, the Detective. Maura quickly reasserted her gaze from the wide window overlooking a vast and well-kempt expanse of lawn and orchard and brought her attention back into the room, and more importantly, the woman sitting next to her bed, clasping her hands again. Maura reflexively withdrew her hands from this stranger – she wasn't really one for intimate touching with _anyone_ – and then instantly felt guilt wash over her as the Detective, a middle-aged, dark haired woman wearing a red T-shirt tucked into black trousers, a matching black jacket hanging over the back of her chair. Her hair was tied back in a long ponytail and her brown eyes were shining with concern as the woman looked rather surprised and… hurt… by her actions. Clearing her throat, Maura spoke.

"Apart from a mild ache in my head, probably from a trauma to the back of the head, and a little dizziness, probably caused by a side-effect of painkilling drugs, it would appear I'm fine," she said with a small smile. The Detective let out a laugh of relief and slumped rather ungraciously back in her chair. Maura noticed the shining badge on her belt.

"Do you remember what happened?" asked the Detective, her eyes twinkling as she spoke. Maura thought back, trying to revisit the last thing she could remember.

"No, I'm afraid I don't, Detective," she replied. "I would guess though, from the fact that I have most likely head trauma, and an officer of the law is here that I was attacked or something similar?" The Detective's brow wrinkled slightly as she looked a little puzzled, before shaking off the notion and returning her attention to Maura.

"Are you okay, Maura?" she asked, her smile fading slightly from her face. Maura nodded.

"I assure you, I'm fine."

"Then why are you being all… 'Detective'," she emphasised using air-quotes.

"The use of air-quotes is more often than not considered unnecessary as people can convey sarcasm, ambiguity, satire or disbelief using tone alone. Also they were called Ersatz, which is an interesting choice of word as it means replacement or spare, but it can also mean artificial or imitation in German, but the German version of the gesture sometimes differs from the American."

Maura rattled this information off absent-mindedly and was surprised to find the Detective smiling at her antics when most people just looked confused and moved on. There was something about the way this Detective looked at her that suggested that perhaps she knew her. Otherwise, she was just real friendly, but the way she spoke to the doctor proved otherwise. The Detective seemed to be holding back a laugh, a fond look in her eyes as she seemed to be waiting for Maura to continue. When Maura did not, she spoke.

"Anyway, glad to see you still have the Google-mouth, by the way. Not that it isn't as annoying and… confusing as ever, but why are you being so… un-Maura?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," replied Maura. "And what's Google-mouth?" The Detective's eyebrows rose in surprise as she took a moment to take in this seemingly important information. Maura waited patiently.

"Maura, do you…" Maura watched the pained look flash across the Detective's face before disappearing instantaneously. Those Brown eyes were fixed on her own now. "You _do_ know who I am, right?" she asked tentatively. Maura squinted slightly, trying to decipher the joke. She wasn't very good with humour. Concluding this was no joke, she scrutinised the Detective's face. There was something familiar about her, there was no doubt. But she must have only seen her in passing.

"I'm afraid I don't." Maura this time could not miss the widening of Jane's eyes, betraying her surprise. "Should I?" she added softly, searching the Detective's face for clues.

"Uh…" The Detective looked crestfallen to say the least. Maura was sure she could hear a crack in her voice.

"Are you alright?" asked Maura, concerned, as the tall woman stood from her chair.

"Yeah!" replied the Detective a little too jovially.

"Did I say something-?" asked Maura, cursing her lack of social skills.

"No, no, it's fine. I just have to… uh…" She muttered all the way to the door, pulling a phone out of her pocket as she went and closing the door behind her. Maura watched, confused, as the woman kept her face subtly hidden behind her hand with the phone as she walked past the long window that provided a view into the corridor. The woman ran into the doctor, who looked concerned and asked her a question that the woman just shrugged off and walked away.

"Is your friend alright?" asked the doctor, closing the door softly behind her.

"I… I don't know, she's not my friend."

"That's odd," commented the doctor absently as she looked through the charts.

"Why?" asked Maura curiously, sitting up a little straighter in her bed.

"Hmm?" The doctor looked up from the papers. "She was in here practically every day for the last few weeks you've been in here."

"Really?" asked Maura, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes. Now, can you answer a few questions for me?"

"Of course."

"Name?"

"Maura Dorthea Isles."

"Occupation?"

"Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Chief Medical Examiner."

"Good, good," replied the doctor. "What's the date today?"

Jane Rizzoli stumbled down the corridor, dialling a number on her phone as she walked, her head reeling. Maura didn't remember her. Her _best friend _didn't know her. Trying to calm herself down, taking deep breaths as she pressed the back of her head against the wall of the corridor, she found rare tears pricking at her eyes.

"Janey?" said the voice at the other end of the phone. "Are you eating alright? You aren't still spending all your time at that hospital, are you? How's Maura-"

"She… Ma, stop…

"If you don't come home soon, I'm going to that hospital and force-feeding you myself-"

"Ma! She can't remember!" Jane exclaimed.

"What?"

"She… she doesn't remember me!"

"Oh my God, Jane. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay! I-"

"Miss?" Jane whirled at the voice, an angry retort on her lips, when she saw the nurse standing behind her.

"Detective," Jane automatically corrected.

"Sorry, Detective. I'm afraid you can't use your phone in here," she said, somewhat timidly. Jane was tempted to just ignore it, her mood demanded she lash out verbally, but she sighed, letting her shoulders drop and slump against the wall.

"Ma, I have to go, call you later," she muttered with a quick apology to the nurse, who looked happy to leave without causing a fuss.

"Wait, Janey-"

Jane hung up the phone with a sigh. She glanced at the door, where the doctor was leaving again. She had to go back in to get her jacket at least. She didn't know if she could stay there for too long. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself as she grasped the doorknob and let herself in. She tentatively glanced from the floor up at Maura, and immediately her heart melted. Maura was sitting with her head in her hands, her mussed blonde hair shielding her face.

"Maura," said Jane.

"I'm so sorry," replied Maura, looking up. Her eyes looked red, ever so slightly wet around the edges.

"What for?" asked Jane, forgetting that this was a Maura who didn't know her and darting to her side. This time she neglected to touch her, but was close all the same. Maura didn't seem to mind though. In truth, Maura needed someone close by.

"I've… I've forgotten the last four years. I'm guessing we knew each other."

"We more than knew each other, we were friends," replied Jane warmly. This made Maura look up, a little startled.

"We didn't just work together?" she asked.

"No, we were best friends," smiled Jane.

"I had a friend…" mumbled Maura to herself. Jane knew this must be a big thing for her.

"We did work together, that's how we first met. You gave me money to buy coffee because you thought I was a hooker, and then you sassed me."

"I… I think I remember that…" said Maura quietly. "You look very different."

"I was undercover!" defended Jane.

"And I think we worked on a few cases?"

"How much do you actually remember?" asked Jane gently.

"It's very scattered and vague. I can't remember much of the past four years."

"I see. What did the doctor say?" asked Jane, trying not to let the hope get too strong.

"She said she didn't know if I would definitely get my memories back, but it is possible to make a full recovery. She said a lot of familiar people and places would help."

"Good, we can do that. If you want, I mean," stuttered Jane. Maura just smiled and nodded. Then her face changed.

"Detective?" she said suddenly.

"Call me Jane. Jane Rizzoli," Jane replied as calmly as she could. It still hurt, having to introduce herself to her friend.

"Uh… Jane. Has anyone been looking after Bass?" she asked, her face looking adorably worried. Jane looked bewildered for a moment, then burst out laughing. Maura looked confused but waited patiently until Jane calmed down.

"Yes, I told my Ma to look after your damn turtle," said Jane.

"Tortoise," Maura corrected automatically. She tilted her head as Jane seemed to freeze for a moment, like what she had said triggered something, but ti was gone before she questioned it.

"Your mother feeds my tortoise?" she asked.

"Yeah, she lives… close by, so I told her to look after him while you were in here. I would have done it but… I was here too, and there was work, and… other things…" Jane rambled on as Maura thought.

"But how does she have a key?"

"She... she lives in your… guesthouse," Jane mumbled quietly. She watched Maura's face go from confused to surprised to shocked. "I have a lot of explaining to do," Jane groaned as she sat back in her chair.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello, readers :) Since I got such a wonderful response after just one chapter, I'm turning this into a series. Thank you so much to the people who reviewed, and please continue to do so, I love to hear from you. And thanks for everyone who took the time to read these chapters, I really hope you like it. All mistakes are mine and I apologise profusely. Enjoy :)

* * *

"Casey?" asked Jane as she spoke into the mouthpiece of her phone.

"Hey, Jane, how's my favourite wife?" Jane rolled her eyes at the usual banter. She was not in the mood today.  
"Not now, Case," she sighed, a tinge of sharpness in her tone. Casey perked up immediately. Something was up.  
"Is something wrong? Is it Maura?" he asked, sounding concerned. "Is she alright?"  
"She woke up," Jane replied flatly, running a hand through her hair.  
"That's great, Jane!" said Casey, knowing how much Jane had been worrying. "Wait, what's the bad news?"  
"I'm in my car outside the hospital. I... I can't go in," she said quietly, tapping the wheel with her fingers, eyeing the entrance to the hospital anxiously as people milled around in the sunlight.  
"Is it that bad? What's wrong with her?"  
"She... She's lost almost all of her memories for the past four years."  
"Oh, Jane," sighed Casey sympathetically.  
"She doesn't remember me-" Jane was cut off mid-sentence as she heard another voice invading their conversation.  
"Wait a second." Jane clenched her fist in anger as she heard voices on the other end of the phone. Casey was still at work. As a general, he was relocated, and Jane only saw him every now and then. Marriage was supposed to be perfect. This was far from it. She waited impatiently for the obviously more important conversation to end.  
"Sorry Jane, I have to go. I'll call you back as soon as I can, okay?"  
"Yeah, sure, whatever," sighed Jane, pulling the phone away from her ear.  
"Wait, Jane-"  
But Jane hung up, hurling the phone into the passenger seat where it bounced against the door with a clunk. Jane punched the steering wheel, her anger and frustration reaching its peak. Why did this have to happen?

Maura stood up from the bed, standing in the comfortable clothes Jane had brought her. It felt a lot better than that horrible gown she had been confined to. A warm shower had made her feel fresh and human again, and her hair was washed and brushed to its beautifully normal state again, shiny and smooth. She admired Jane's choice of clothes for her - she must really know her, as Maura's taste was particularly delicate and well thought out. Jane had picked perfectly. Ensuring her blue shirt was rolled up elegantly at the elbows, and her skinny jeans - she would have normally gone for a skirt, but the jeans looked even better - looked alright, she stood from the bed just as Jane Rizzoli entered the room.  
"Hey Maura," she said with a broad smile. For a moment, she had forgotten what had happened and just gone back to normal, just for that split second. Now she felt an overwhelming weight crushing her heart when Maura looked up, and politely smiled at her. This wasn't Jane's smile. This wasn't the smile she saw in the mornings when she dropped by Maura's, or when she went down to see her in the lab. This was not the beautiful, genuinely happy smile that graced the blonde's face when she strolled into the bullpen with a piece of evidence or a scientific test result. Jane saw the smile that Maura wore when she had met someone in passing and was trying to remember their details.  
"Detective Rizzoli," she smiled, before seeming to realise herself. "Uhm, Jane," she added, trying to make the detective feel better. It didn't seem to work, but Jane shrugged it off. "Can I help you with something?"  
"I was going to give you a lift home, if you want. Since, well, your car isn't here and getting a bus or taxi would be ridiculous since you're-"  
"Thank you, Jane," she replied sincerely, trying to spare the woman the embarrassment of rambling aimlessly.  
"Good. So, you ready to go?" asked Jane. She looked as if she had just come from work, her blue shirt covered by trousers and a black jacket. They were slightly creased, upon closer inspection.  
"Yes, lead the way," she smiled, trying her best to put the detective at ease. She seemed nice enough, if a little abrupt and blunt. And she had let the woman into her home, and she remembered to feed Bass, for crying out loud. Nobody remembered to feed Bass, in her experience.  
She followed the detective, picking up her bag that Jane had brought. With all her make-up in it, for which she was eternally grateful. Her heels clacked against the floor as she followed the tall woman through the doorway. Jane stopped and held the door open for her. Maura thanked her cordially as she passed by. She was glad that she had a friend like Jane. She hoped she could remember soon. She knew it was possible after her accident – the details of which she still hadn't cemented in her head yet. She may have been in a bit of a daze when it was explained to her. But Jane had been the one to find her, she remembered the doctor telling her that part. Jane walked comfortably by her side, their pace perfectly matched.

"So how're you feeling?" asked Jane as she started the car. She glanced to Maura, who had quirked an eyebrow after placing her bag on the floor, her head tilted slightly.  
"Your engine is ticking," stated Maura suddenly, a look of concentration on her far as she listened keenly.  
"You pointed that out last month," smiled Jane, her tone slipping ever so slightly into what Maura could only describe as melancholia.  
"Oh," replied Maura, settling back in her seat, looking out of the front window. "I'm guessing I explained what it was too?"  
"For about fifteen minutes," laughed Jane. Maura was silent for a moment. Jane automatically switched on the radio. A rock song that Maura didn't recognise came blaring out of the speakers, and Maura couldn't help herself when she reached out and switched it to a classical radio station. It was completely instinctive, she didn't know why she did it. Jane looked scandalised for a moment before switching it back. They continued to have this mini war for the next few minutes before Maura switched the whole thing off, settling the argument. She eyed Jane carefully, noticing the amused grin on her face.  
"What's so funny?" she asked with a small laugh herself.  
"Nothing. Just reminded me of something."  
"Oh," said Maura, unsure of what to say. She opted to say nothing.

"Maura, we missed you!" This cry took Maura completely by surprise as soon as she opened her front door. She was soon engulfed in a warm hug and she froze.  
"Ma, she can't remember!" Jane hissed through gritted teeth. The woman let go of Maura and stepped back, glaring at her daughter.  
"A hug always helps! Ou could do with one too," she commented, holdif her arms up.  
"Ma! I told you I'm not a hugger!" she said, wriggling out of her mother's arms. Maura looked around her home. It was different to how she remembered it, but still recognisable as her own.  
"Hey, Maura?" came another voice. Maura turned towards the kitchen, placing her bag down on the coffee table next to the sofa. Sitting at the table was a young woman, late-teens by Maura's reckoning, with brown hair.  
"Hello," said Maura awkwardly. Se noticed that Jane had appeared at her side while her mother walked over to this girl.  
"Can you remember us?" she asked quietly, putting an arm around the younger girl.  
"I'm sorry, I can't," Maura replied with a look of earnest apology on her face.  
"Wow, this is going to be a long story," sighed Jane.

"So you're my sister?" asked Maura incredulously looking at this 'Cailin'.  
"Half-sister, technically," the girl replied.  
"And I found my birth mother?"  
"Yes, her name's Hope. Your biological father is Paddy Doyle."  
"The mobster," confirmed Jane.  
"And you have my kidney," she asked, pointing to Cailin, who nodded.  
"Mum's going to be here in a while, she had a surgery she couldn't get out of," said Cailin."But I can call her and tell her not to, if you like-"  
"No, it's fine, I'm just a bit... Overwhelmed," said Maura quietly. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Angela standing offering her a cup of tea. Maura took it gratefully.  
"Maur, your adoptive mother is coming over too. She heard about your accident and visited you when she could while you were in hospital."  
"Really?" asked Maura.  
"Yeah, she was worried."  
"She visited me?" she asked, incredulously. "More than once? But we were-"  
"Yes! You made up with her, she saved your life!"  
"Oh my God, I can't remember any of it!" cried Maura, leaning against the kitchen table on her elbows, holding her head in her hands. She did not like the lack of control in this situation. Everything was a surprise to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey again :) I apologise for the VERY late update. I haven't written much for a while and I hope I'm not too rusty. All mistakes are mine, no copyright, I wrote this in one go, so we'll see how that works. I hope you like it, and it kind of breaks from the last chapter, which I didn't like all that much, so here's a hopefully better one :) I'd love to know your thoughts, and to those who are worried about the whole Casey scenario, just remember that every good story has a few obstacles... on that note, do enjoy!

* * *

Jane closed the door as quietly as she could and walked into Maura's kitchen. Cailin looked up, her teeth biting gently on her lower lip in concern. Angela stood on the other side of the kitchen island and slid a cup of steaming coffee towards Jane as the detective sat down wearily and held her head in her hands.

"How is she?" asked Angela carefully, watching her daughter's face for clues. Jane inhaled deeply through her nose before letting it out through her mouth. She looked up into the eyes of her mother, glancing at Cailin, who was sitting a little straighter.

"She's… she's better," replied Jane, picking up her coffee and gulping the liquid down. "She's asleep now, finally." Angela and Cailin nodded sympathetically. Maura had completely broken down about an hour previously and fled to her room, tears flowing freely down her face as she screamed about not being in control. She had barricaded herself in her bedroom and sat crying against the door for ages. The three sat in silence for a good few minutes as the ticking clock was the only sound.

"_Maura! Maura, it's me!" called Jane through the door as she hammered her fist against the wood as she had been doing on and off for around half an hour. "It's Jane! I know you don't remember me, but we're friends!"_

"_Janey, maybe we should just leave her to calm down –"_

" _Come on, Maura!"_

"_Jane, your phone," said Cailin, but Jane didn't hear her._

"_Maura!" Jane almost whined. She stopped pounding on the door and slumped against it, pressing her forehead to the mahogany. "Please let me in." _

"_Uh, Jane?" said Cailin again from behind her. Jane glanced over her shoulder, sniffing quietly. With a quick shake of her head, she was all business again. _

"_What?" she asked a little sharply. She smiled apologetically at Cailin, who returned it warmly._

"_Your phone." The girl pointed to the sofa where the phone was lit up and vibrating against the cushions. Angela was already there, picking it up and squinting at the screen._

"_It's Casey," she reported, looking up at Jane. Jane waved her hand dismissively. _

"_I don't want to talk to him right now." Jane returned to the door and pressed her ear against it. She could hear muffled sobs. She raised her fist to knock again, but before her knuckles touched the door, she sighed, relaxing her hand and brushing her fingertips down the grain. "We're here if you need us," she said quietly. She was convinced she heard a small "Thank you," from the other side. _

Jane jumped as her phone vibrated against the counter for the third time that evening. Checking the screen, she huffed and hurled the phone across the room onto the sofa. A small part of her was now regretting the three coffees she had downed in relatively quick succession. They kept her awake, but made her cranky.

"Casey again?" asked Cailin. Jane looked at her, properly looked for the first time that night. The girl seemed tired, a large textbook lying open on the table. Her fingers played with the cuffs of her sleeves as she sat, her eyes blinking just a tad too often.

"Yeah," sighed Jane, letting her mood evaporate.

"Are things okay between you and Charles?" asked Angela, reaching out to comfort her daughter.

"Ma, I'm not going to have this conversation with you," groaned Jane, squirming away from her mother's hand.

"But Janey, all this stress –"

"Ma!" exclaimed Jane. "All I'm concerned about right now is the woman who is crying her eyes out in there –" Jane turned as she pointed to Maura's room, only to hear the door open and the blonde standing against the black background of her bedroom. She was still wearing her slightly crumpled blue shirt and black trousers. Her jacket was folded over the arm of a chair. There was a long pause, before Maura spoke.

"I assure you, detective. I'm fine now," said Maura. Jane was slightly taken-aback at the tone. It wasn't exactly harsh or cold, but just… distant? She decided not to press it for now. After all, to Maura, it was like having three complete strangers in the house. The only one she recognised was Bass, and that was because she had owned him for God knows how long before Jane even met her.

"Alright. Do you need anything?" asked Jane, scrutinising Maura's face for anything, any sign of recognition at all.

"No, I'm quite alright."

"Uhm, Maura?" Everyone turned to Cailin, who was fidgeting a little.

"Yes, Cailin, was it?" replied Maura, with a little more warmth. Cailin pursed her lips for a moment, brushing a strand of dark hair from her face before looking up at Maura as she stepped forwards, the island between them.

"My mum – Hope – she can't fly out because of bad weather. She wanted me to… stay here." Cailin bit her lip anxiously. "I mean, if that's not weird or anything, I can probably go back or –"

"It's alright. If I allowed you to stay before, I'm sure you are trustworthy," Maura said with a nod.

"Thank you," replied Cailin. Jane watched the entire exchange, scrutinising Maura's reaction. She seemed as she was when they first met – methodical and distant.

"Do you want something, honey?" asked Angela, circling the island around to Maura. The pathologist quirked an eyebrow, as if she had found something puzzling.

"No, thank you, I'm fine. I'm sorry for my reaction."

"It's to be expected," said Jane. Maura looked at her. Jane looked back. They kept their gaze locked for barely a second, but Jane hoped to see some flicker of remembrance in her friend's eyes.

"You're over-caffeinated," commented Maura casually. No such luck. Maura's expression shifted as she processed this information, and put it together with the clock that read half past one in the morning. "Did you all stay up deliberately?" she asked, looking around the three faces that she couldn't remember. They all glanced at each other before nodding. "For me?" she asked, and Jane was sure she heard a little hitch in her voice as she uttered the last two words. Again, they all nodded. Maura's eyes widened slightly, before her old façade shifted back into place. "Lack of sleep severely impedes cognitive function," she said as she picked up her tea cup – now half full of cold liquid – and poured it down the sink. "I'm fine. You should all get some sleep."

Jane caught Angela's glance and nodded subtly, rising from her chair.

"I'll come by in the morning to check on you, alright?" said Angela. Jane noticed Angela's arm snaking out to hug Maura, as was their custom, but she stopped herself.

"You don't have to," replied Maura with a smile.

"Yes, I do." Angela gave Maura a little, sad smile before turning and leaving. Cailin yawned and turned a page of her book.

"You should go to bed," said Maura to Cailin as she hung her jacket up on the stand by the door. Cailin looked up. "I will not spend the morning with a cranky teenager whose brain won't work efficiently because they didn't get enough REM sleep." Cailin glanced at Jane, who shrugged as Maura returned to the sink.

"Good night, then," said Cailin, picking up her book and trudging to her room.

"Is someone's phone going off?" asked Maura suddenly as she rinsed the cup before placing it on the drying rack. Jane groaned and placed her head against the table, and wrapping her arms around herself. Maura, perplexed, followed the sound of the vibrations and picked up the phone from the sofa along with her jacket.

"Who's Casey?" asked Maura. Jane whipped upright and spun.

"Do not answer it!" she growled. Maura's eyebrows rose quizzically as she placed the phone back on the table.

"Is he your husband?" asked Maura. Jane started – she had forgotten how unnerving it was to have Maura's keen analytical mind working again. It was okay when she knew Maura, but this seemed to be a Maura she knew little about.

"What makes you say that?" she replied casually.

"Your ring. The three other missed calls. Most likely it would be a spouse or family member." Jane unconsciously twisted the ring on her finger. Her skin itched beneath it every now and then. "Is everything alright?" she inquired politely.

"Just… just stuff, I guess," sighed Jane. Maura seemed to deliberate something, before stepping forwards and placing a soft hand on Jane's forearm.

"I hope it works out." Maura said this a little mechanically. Jane could see an odd glimmer in her eyes. A familiar glimmer. Maura then stepped back, retracting her hand and looking a little surprised, staring at her hand like it had a will of its own.

"Are you okay now?" asked Jane, concerned. Maura nodded, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Perfectly fine." Jane could see that she wasn't quite fine, but at least she wasn't shouting or crying. Jane was very close to punching something though. Maybe she should cut back on the caffeine.

"Alright then. I'll… I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, detective," smiled Maura, and Jane's heart clenched. Jane knew that smile. That was Maura's cordial smile, the one she used when she was addressing people she didn't particularly know, or like. Just the 'getting through the day' smile, as opposed to the smile that lit up her face when she was around family, or friends. This might be worse than Jane originally thought.


End file.
